People of Rochester - Sharon
Sharon was the subject of my last, indoor, portrait-photo session before social distancing kicked in. I shot a series of portraits of Sharon just days before the lockdown, and one of those photos is featured in this blog post. She's an artist and long-time friend, and she's been our neighbor for the past several years.
She graciously agreed to participate in my Covid-19 photojournalism project, and I interviewed her over the phone.
Sharon's more conscious of people who are in need, and she feels good about being able to help them. Also, she's aware of several other individuals like herself, who are reaching out to support friends and others. She has friends that she regularly checks in with, to see if they're okay, or if they need groceries.
“Connections have become deeper with people I care about, because we're there for each other; we're checking in.”
She belongs to a meditation group that previously met in a physical space. Now they hold meetings via Zoom. Their Zoom meetings are a continuation of their meditation practices.
Sharon's always meditated regularly, but now she's meditating more than ever, and combining different meditative practices. She says she's been able to go into a deeper place, using yoga, meditation, and breath-work, to get calmer and feel support that she's not alone in this.
One of her Yoga teachers holds classes on YouTube. Sometimes she attends these video classes, and sometimes she does Yoga on her own.
She also likes having free time and being able to stay up for as long as she feels like.
On a typical day, Sharon goes to her art studio everyday, adhering to no particular timeframe. She's currently working on sculptures that are in process - "an unknown pandemic series." "They have their own voice," she said.
If the weather's nice, she might spend hours outside. Sometimes she takes long walks, or she may sit in the sun and meditate.
She's also still working with artist-clients in California via phone, supporting their creative process during this time. She says it makes her feel good to be assisting artists who are all affected by this crisis.
For recreation, on a recent evening, Sharon sat in the doorway of her apartment, about 10 feet across the hall from her neighbors, a couple. They all sat in chairs in their respective doorways and chatted while drinking margaritas.
She also enjoys talking to her friends on the phone, and she loves watching TV when she's found a good series that she can binge-watch.
Sharon's started a journal documenting this surreal time—writing and adding photographs—a collage of sorts. It's fun, she says, and she thinks it will be interesting to reflect on in the future.
When I asked what she dislikes about quarantining, she said she misses the freedom to do whatever she wants, whenever she feels like it. For example, meeting friends for drinks or going out to dinner and enjoying different kinds of food that she doesn’t prepare at home. Now, Sharon occasionally orders take-out food, to support local businesses.
She's traveled to Italy in the past, and she had been planning to return soon, but for now, that's impossible.
Finally, more than ever, Sharon misses Gracie, her beloved little dog who passed over two years ago.